


dreaming about the things that we could be

by Dellessa



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-28 22:35:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7659478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellessa/pseuds/Dellessa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt- At first, Kent just wants information on how Jack’s doing from someone who’d know. He doesn’t know when he started asking more questions about Mashkov himself than about Jack.</p><p><a href="http://omgcheckplease.tumblr.com/post/57705111693">Check Please!</a> (and the characters therein) are the creation of Ngozi Ukazu. Go read it now. <3</p>
            </blockquote>





	dreaming about the things that we could be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minnabird](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnabird/gifts).



It started innocuously enough. ‘ **Alexei Mashkov** (@AMashkov_offcl) is now following you on Twitter!’ The email said. Kent read it again and then moved over to twitter, lip twitching up as he noticed that Mashkov had gone through and liked all of the tweets with pictures of Kit. 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Hi, Mashkov. That is a lot of likes. 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Cat is very cute. =3

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Aw. Thanks. Kit is a cutie. She’s the best. So...I was wondering. How is Zimmermann doing? You guys have been having a good season. 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Zimbonni? He’s fine. Good skater. Better hockey player. 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Yeah, he is. I was hoping he’d join the Aces. =( 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
We are lucky to have him. 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Oh, yeah. I’m so jelly I’m jam.

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
（＾～＾；）

Kent found himself smiling. If nothing else he would have an in on how Jack was doing. He worried, and Jack still wouldn’t pick up the phone. Kent couldn’t blame him, not after the way he had acted at the Haus during the Epickegster. He frowned, and scooped up Kit, walking over to the couch. He was surprised that Mashkov was willing to talk to him at all. He figured that Jack would have warned them all away from him. Kit mewed and butted her head against his chest. She always had a way of chasing away his depression. He smoothed a hand across her head, and plucked at her little, folded ears just the way she liked dragging a stuttering purr from her chest.

Kent’s frown melted away. 

He couldn't stay upset when his furbaby purred like that.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Mashkov, what are you even doing? LOL

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Call me Tater. 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Sure, Tater. Really though, what are you doing? That is a lot of favs!

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Kit cute. Very cute. As cute as my Katya. =D 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Katya?

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
My Husky. 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Oh. Cool. Good game last night by the way. Congrats on the win. 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
.ﾟ☆(ノё∀ё)ノ☆ﾟ. Thanks! Was good game. 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Ah, yeah. Um. How is Zimms?

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
He’s good. Think he has a girlfriend. He’s been acting secretive. But brought pies! Lots of pies!

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Oh. A girlfriend. Sure. Pies you say? Eric Bittle’s pies?

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Yes! They are the best. Very best! Do you follow him? Kid’s pretty funny.

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
(n˘v˘•)¬ I don’t think he likes me. Last time I saw him I made an ass of myself.

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Don’t believe that. (◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
( >_>) (_>) Uh. Right.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Alexei!

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Tater!

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Haha. Sorry. Tater. =3 How are you? 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
I’m good. Tired. Game rough. Saw end of your last match on tv. You okay?

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
I’m fine. Tougher than i look. 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Zimbonni asked about you. Accidently told him we had been talking. Sorry.

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Not like it’s a secret. Right? 

**[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
(❁´▽`❁)*✲ﾟ*

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
You’re funny. Very funny. How’s Kit?

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Kit’s good. Thinking about getting her a friend. Not sure she will appreciate it. How’s the team?

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Not subtle. Zimbonni is fine. Is dating someone. (」゜ロ゜)」 Walked in on them.

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Them. Right. It’s that Bittle kid. Isn’t it?

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
（＊〇□〇）……！ （＊〇□〇）……！ （＊〇□〇）……！ （＊〇□〇）……！ （＊〇□〇）……！ （＊〇□〇）……！ （＊〇□〇）……！

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Don’t worry. I won’t tell. Pretty sure it would just come back to bite me. Considering.

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Oh.

 **[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Riight. How are you? Any big plans?

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
Мама visiting in a few weeks. Getting things ready. Lots of cleaning. =( 

**[DM]Kent Parson** @KentParsonOfficial  
Oh, wow. Sucks to by you, brah.

 **[DM]Alexei Mashkov** @AMashkov_offcl  
=( Yus.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

It became commonplace. Kent would post a picture of Kit. Alexei would fav it, and they would chat about Jack, until they weren’t talking about Jack any longer and they were talking about Kit (she was doing fine), or Kent’s plans for the weekend (catching up on Game of Thrones), until they were talking about Alexei’s mother visiting from Russia (she said he needed to find a nice girl), or how Alexei’s studying was going for his naturalization test (pretty well, apparently with Jack’s help).

Kent didn’t notice the change at first. They made it through the regular season, and it ended with Alexei sending him a pie (apparently made by Bittle after much begging), a DVD set of the Magicians (cause Alexei thought he would enjoy it), and a new collar for Kit (with Pikachu’s on it, because Alexei knew how serious Kent was about Pokemon Go). But it was serious by that point. 

He sent Alexei---who was Xi in his mind by now or Alyosha--- a package in return filled with chocolates from his favorite chocolatier in Vegas (a little family run place that only locals went to), a DVD collection of Hannibal (that they watched together while Skyping. Xi didn’t make fun of him while he his behind a pillow 75% of the time), and a bunch of toys for Katya (Xi posted a Vine of her playing with them...it was both cute and hilarious). 

The packages kept coming, and the guys on the team started commenting on the sudden influx of confectionery and baked goods. The ones that were in the know about his sexuality gave him knowing looks and laughed at the way his face turned crimson. He wasn’t flustered about it. He wasn’t even sure what was going on, other than the fact that they rarely talked about Jack anymore, and anytime he saw a message his heart would flutter. 

His heart would flutter. 

He knew that feeling. 

He was so fucked. 

So completely, and utterly fucked. 

He bided his time. They made it through the second round of playoffs and then lost. The Falconers made it to the playoffs. He managed to get tickets, and bought a Jersey, #7. It was not a good disguise. People still recognized him, they still asked for selfies, and bugged him, right up until he got to his seat with the rest of WAGs and family. Tater had been enthusiastic when he had asked to come to the game. Kent’s heart was hammering in his chest the whole time, and he just knew he was misreading the situation. Tater was probably straight. Definitely. He was going to fuck this up. There was no doubt in Kent’s mind. He was really, really going to fuck this up, but it was like watching a train-wreck. He couldn't walk away, and he couldn't stop himself.

The Falconers won, and he was swept away in festivities. He didn’t even know the name of the bar they ended up in. He could barely concentrate with Xi’s arm warm over his shoulder. Jack sat across from him with Bittle on one side, and the rest of his Samwell teammates around them. They had descended on them as soon as they walked into the bar, chattering amicably. Kent couldn't even follow the conversation, he was too distracted by the warmth in the pit of his stomach, and the fear that threatened to close his throat. What was he even doing here?

Finally, after an hour, Xi nudge him in the side. “Come, Kenny. We go now?” 

“Oh, yeah, sure,” he said, and followed Xi as he said his goodbyes. There was a lot of hugs. Xi was one of the most tactile people that Kent had ever encountered. 

Jack caught him before they left. He surprised Kent by hugging him tightly. “Give me a call, okay? Later? We have a lot to talk about I think. And...fuck. Be good to him, okay? Tater’s a good guy.” 

“Uh...sure.” Kent said with a frown. Then Xi’s arm was around his shoulder again, steering him towards Xi’s car, and soon enough they were on the road. It was too dark for him to get a good grasp of where there were going. It was not lit up like Vegas, or even New York. They moved into quiet streets.

Kent peered out of the window, watching the mini mansions go by. The houses grew older, but not any less nice. They drove far longer than Kent would have expected, and away from the gated communities. The old Victorian house they stopped in front of somehow fit though. 

“That is a lot of house for one person,” Kent said as they walked in. The hardwood floor gleamed in the dim light. 

“Katya here too,” Alexei shrugged. “And besides, planning for the future.” 

“Oh, you planning on marrying a girl and having a herd of kids, Mashkov?” 

“No, not exactly,” Alexei laughed, and leaned down, pressing their lips together. The warmth in Kent’s chest gathered and expanded leaving him warm and clinging to the man in front of him. 

“God damn it. Jack knew.” 

Alexei laughed, “Not really a secret, Kenny.” He stopped and bit his lip. “If you want it. I mean...me. If you want me.” 

Kent rolled his eyes. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been beating myself up over this for weeks. I thought you were straight. Well, I mean I assumed.” 

“Bi. But I like you. A lot, Kenny.” 

Kent’s flushed creeped down his neck, “I like you too. A lot. So...you want to give this a try?” 

Alexei kissed him again in lieu of answering. “Just waiting for you to ask.”


End file.
